Mechanical telephone



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J. H. HOWARD.

vMBm.e.1\I10.e.L TELEPHONE. No. 357,995. Patented Feb. l5, 1887.

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J. H. HOWARD, vMLGJLWIGAL TELEPHONE.

y No.. 357,995 Patented Peb. 15,1887.

NVENTMS details.

- l UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JAMES H. HOWARD, OF BOSTON, ASSIGN OR TO RUSSELL O. ELLIOTT, TRUSTEE, OFSOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

MECHANICAL TELEPHONE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,995, dated February15, 1887.

Application filed March 29, 1884. Renewed February 24, 1885. Againrenewed July 2Q, 1886. Serial No. 208,807. (No model.)

.To all whom t may concern/.-

Be it known that I, JAMES H. HOWARD, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts,have invented certain Improvements inMechanical Telephones, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide means whereby the tensionof the sound`conducting wire of an acoustic telephone can beconveniently regulated; secondly, to provide improved means forinsulating the Wire at intermediate points where it is supported,thirdly, to provide improved means wherebya person at one end of anacoustic-telephone line may u call or signal a person at the other end;

fourthly,to provide improved means for varying the inclination of thediaphragm; ffthly, to provide means for mufiling the conductingwire toprevent transmission of external disturbingsounds; sixthly,to providecertain improved devices for supporting the wire.

To these ends my invention consists in the improvements which I will nowproceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification,Figure 1 represents a front elevation of anacoustic-telephone receiver and transmitter provided with myimprovements. Fig. 2represents asection online x ai, Fig. l. Fig. 3represents a section showing a bell used as a wire-holding button at thefront side of the diaphragm and provided with a striker. Figs. 3 and 3"represent modifications. Fig. 4 represents a section on line y y, Fig.3. Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, l0, and 11 represent Figs. 12, 13, 14., and 15show means for varying the inclination of the diaphragm.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the gures.

In the drawings,a represents the diaphragm of an acoustic telephone,andb represents the box or case supporting the same, said box beingaffixed to a wall or other support in any suitable way, and preferablyprovided with a door or cover adapted to be closed over the front of thediaphragm,to prevent the sounds transmitted from the distant station orend from being distinctly heard when stillness is desired, and toprevent sounds in the room Where the diaphragm is located from beingAwire.

transmitted to the distant end when secrecy is desired.

o represents the conductingwire, which is stretched, as usual,betweenthe two diaphragms at the respective ends of the line.

My first improvement relates to the means employed for connecting thewire c with the diaphragms and for adjusting the tension of the wire.The conducting-wire proper terminates at a point behind the diaphragm ofeach station, and is connected by a turn-buckle, d,

with a metal rod, f, or that section of wire which is screwed at one endinto the turnbuekle and passes at its opposite end .through the centerof the diaphragm, and is provided at the outside of the diaphragm with athumbpiece, f, whereby it may be rotated in either direction, thusdrawing the turn-buckle inwardly toward the diaphragm, and tighteningthe wire, or forcing the turn-buckle away from the diaphragm, and thusslackening the A button or washer, g, of rigid material is preferably'interposed between the thumb-piecef and the diaphragm, the rod f passingthrough the washer. A person standing at the front of the diaphragm isthus enabled to readily vary the tension of the wire, as circumstancesmay require.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a bell or gong, i, interposed between thediaphragm and the thumb-piecef, and serving both as a bell and as asubstitute for the washer g. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 2.) A spring-hammer,i', adapted to strike the bell, may be secured to the box b.' The bellis connected with the conductingwire, so that when it is sounded itssound-vibrations are conducted to the opposite end of the line andcaused to givea more distinct call or alarm there than would be the caseif the bell were isolated from the conductor. A result nearly as goodmay be produced by supporting the bell at a point close to but not incontact with the diaphragm nor with the conducting-wire-for example, bysecuring it to the interior of the box, either behind or in front of thediaphragm. I do not, therefore, confine myself to the describedarrangement of the bell. Fig. 3 shows the post of the bell bearingagainst the diaphragm and a striker of peculiar form. (Shown also inFig. 3".)

IOO

Attn@ points where the wire passes through a wall or other fixed supportI provide an enlarged orifice, and place in the same a filling orbushing, k, through the center of which the wire passes. Said bushing iscomposed of cork, rubber, gutta-percha, or other suitable yieldingmaterial, and constitutes an insulator for thesound-vibrations andprevents them from being absorbed by the rigid support. The bushing alsoexcludes air and rain from the passage in an outer wall, through whichthe wire passes. rlhe cork insulator is preferably made in the formshown in Fig. 9, having a slot in one side, in which the wire isinserted.

In Fig. 1 I have shown an ordinary electric bell, Z, located in anelectric circuit which includes a battery and the wire c, and is closedby a push-button, m, of ordinary construction at one side of the box b.Vhen said pushbutton is pressed, the electric circuit is closed and acurrent of sufficient strength passes through the wire to ring a similarelectric bell at the other station. It is obvious that the electricitymay be supplied by a magnetogenerator instead of a battery, a suitablemagneto-bell being employed. I

p' represents a muffler or device adapted to be pressed against the wireor the section f thereof, to absorb the sound -vibrations and preventthem from being heard at the front of the diaphragm. As shown in Figs.3, 4, 5, and 6, the muffler is a lever pivoted at q to the box b, andprovided with a pad, r, of soft material, adapted to be pressed againstthe wire by a spring, s. The muffler may be held away from the wire byratchet-teetht at the side of the slotiin the box, through which thefree end of the lever projects. Ratchet-teeth t', reversely cut, areplaced at the other side of said slot, to enable the lever to be held inplace when crowded against the wire, thus providing a closer contact orfirmer bearing than would be furnished by the spring alone.-

In Fig. 7 the muffler is shown as a springclamp, one member of which isattached to the box b, while the other is pivoted to the fixed member,the wire passing between the two members. The end of the pivoted memberprojects through a slot in the box, and may be held away from the wireby ratchetteeth, or otherwise.

Fig. 8 shows a form of insulating-support, u, for the wire where itforms an angle. Said support is made of hard rubber and is formed with ahook, u, adapted to receive the wire, and is provided with an orice toreceive a screw, whereby it may be attached to a fixed support. Fig. 11shows another form of hardrubber support, having an orifice for thewire.

Fig. 10 shows a hard-rubber pulley adapted to be secured to a fixedsupport, and to support the wire c at points where an abrupt turn isrequired.

Figs. 12, 13, 14, and 15 show the inclosingbox b, to which the diaphragmis attached, mounted on a seat, b, formed to permit the box to beinclined in various directions.

In the forms shown in Figs. 12, 13, and 14 the box is not attached tothe seat, but is held in contact therewith by the tension of theconducting-wire. lThe form shown in Fig. 14 is adapted to be inclined inany direction, the box being circular, and the seat b a segment of asphere.

Fig. 15 shows the box hinged at b2 to the seat, and locked thereto atdifferent angles by a pin, b3, inserted through holes b4 in the box andseat. This adjustability of the box enables the diaphragm to be turnedas may be desired.

1. In an acoustic telephone, the combination of the diaphragm, thesound-conducting wire terminating at the back of the diaphragm, the rodf, connected by a turn-buckle to the sound-conducting wire, and providedwith a handle or thumb-piece at the front of the diaphragm, as setforth.

2. In an acoustic telephone, the combination, with the diaphragm, theinclosing-case having a cover, and the sound-conducting wire connectedwith the diaphragm, of a bell located in the space inclosed by the case,cover, and diaphragm, and supported by a connection with one of thesides of said space, as set forth, whereby the sound vibrations causedby the bell are concentrated upon the diaphragm and the sound-conductingwire.

3. The combination of the diaphragm, the sound-conducting rod or wirepassing through the diaphragm, and the bell interposed between thediaphragm and the end of the rod or wire, as set forth.

4. In an acoustic telephone, the combination of the diaphragm, thesound-conducting wire secured to the diaphragm, the bell interposedbetween the diaphragm and the end of the wire, and a striker adapted tosound the bell, as set forth.

5. The combination, with the sound-conducting wire and diaphragm of anacoustic telephone, of a muffler composed of a movable device adapted tobe pressed against the wire behind the diaphragm and provided withmeans, substantially as described, whereby it may be held either incontact with or away from the wire, as set forth.

6. rIhe combination, with the wire, the diaphragm, and the box or casinghaving a slot, of the pivoted muffler or lever projecting at its freeend through the slot in the box and adapted to be pressed against thewire, as set forth.

7. The combination of the diaphragm-holding box b and a seat, b',against which said box is held by the tension of the sound-con- IOO IIO

ducting wire, and on which it is adapted to bc tion, with the soundconducting wire, of a to this specification, in the presence of twosubbushing or insulator, k, composed of a plug of scribing witnesses,this 26th day of March, yielding material adapted to be inserted in an1884.

orifice through which the wire passes, and I JAS. H. HOWARD. 5 providedwith a longitudinal aperture to re- Vitnesses: ceive the wire, as setforth. C. F. BROWN,

In testimony whereof I have signed my nam A. L. WHITE.

